Thrown to the Wind
by Jazzmaster
Summary: Five years after meteor, Cid is dying - but first he must fight one final battle, one which will decide the fate of Rocket Town.
1. Gathering

Disclaimer: Hey - I don't own FF7 or it's characters. Cough.  
"Bout time you guys got here!"  
  
Cloud's initial reaction to seeing The Captain was one of relief. During the long journey to Rocket Town he had prepared himself for the worst, while trying to reassure the others. Cloud, Tifa, Barret, Vincent and Yuffie had made the trip. Cait Sith had proven unreachable while Red XII could no longer leave his home, since he had finally proven strong enough to be it's protector.  
  
The man in front of Cloud seemed perfectly healthy - not at all like he had been expecting to see. He remembered Shera's phone call.  
  
"It's Cid - he's dying."  
  
He had found that difficult to believe when he had first heard it, and now he found it impossible to believe. By all accounts Cid should have been lying on his death bed. Yet here he was, standing just outside his home in Rocket Town, the same adventurous glint in his eyes as always, the same edge to his voice, the same energy, even the same outfit he had worn all those years ago.  
  
"What the fuck are you all standing there lookin' at me like that for? I look like a retard or somethin'? Get your asses in my house NOW!" Cid shouted before walking back inside. He walked just fine - no sign of tiredness or weakness at all.  
  
"He don't look like he's dying," Barret echoed Cloud's thoughts aloud.  
  
"Shera wouldn't have alarmed us unnecessarily," pointed out Tifa.  
  
"You know that that woman's like. He probably sneezed or some shit like that," Barret countered.  
  
"Barret!" objected Tifa. "Shera would only call us here if it was serious."  
  
"WHY THE FUCK ARE YOU GUYS STILL OUT THERE!?" came Cid's voice from somewhere inside. Cloud scratched his head, shrugged and walked in.  
  
"Yeah, it's freezing out here," said Yuffie before following.  
  
"We will confront Cid about the mater directly, " said Vincent who went in next. Tifa hesitated.  
  
"He ain't gonna fall ill just 'cause we go inside Tifa. Whatever's wrong, it's wrong whether we know 'bout it or not, " said Barret. Tifa smiled weakly and she and Barret went in together, Barret closing the door behind them.  
The scene now reminded Cloud of their first time in The Captain's home all those years ago. They all sat around the kitchen table while Shera made some tea. Cid's feet were placed on the table (much to the annoyance of Shera, although she said nothing) and the old pilot was muttering away about how they never visited him. Yuffie wondered then if this whole thing hadn't just been a ploy for Cid to reminisce and talk his boring talk about flying machines.  
  
The house looked much the same as ever to Cloud's mako-infused eyes. Shera looked a little older around the eyes than she had in those days and Cid was maybe a little less... vocal towards her. Of course Yuffie and Vincent hadn't been here back then. Right now Cloud felt like they'd missed out on the best experience in the world, even though he hadn't really liked being here at the time, hadn't even thought too highly of loud-mouth Cid...  
  
"Aren't any of you gonna say anything? Ain't you glad to see me again?" asked Cid then, cutting off Cloud's reminiscing.  
  
"Of course we are!" said Tifa. "It's been much too long since we got together last."  
  
"It wasn't that long ago was it?" asked Yuffie.  
  
"Fuck you talking about? It's been three years!" snapped Cid. Cloud observed that Shera was glancing over nervously. He decided it was time to cut the small talk and to try and find out what was going on.  
  
"Uh.. Shera... Shera... called us..." tried Cloud.  
  
"What do you want? A 'Shera Called Me Medal!?' They don't fucking give out awards for that!" yelled Cid.  
  
"She uh, said uh..."  
  
"Shera tells us you're dying," said Vincent casually. Cloud's mouth hung open mid-sentence. He managed to close it, but when he heard Cid chuckle it fell open again.  
  
"Yeah. 'Fraid it's true," said Cid. Cloud's eyes fell to the table. Tifa blinked back tears. Yuffie looked quite sad as well. Barret's face was difficult to read, while Vincent showed no emotion at all. It was Shera who burst out crying, just as the kettle finished boiling. "Shera, not this again. Just worry about the damn tea!"  
  
"I'm sorry captain," she said, wiping her eyes with her sleeve.  
  
"Call me Cid for crying out loud. I think you've earned that right," said Cid.  
  
"But you look fine," said Tifa.  
  
"I feel just fine too. But there's no doubt about it - I ain't got much time left."  
  
Shera came over with the tea now, shaking ever-so-slightly as she poured it for everyone.  
  
"The Captain has a heart disease. It's very rare. We were lucky we were even able to identify it at all. He had some discomfort. At first we thought it was heartburn but when it persisted I made Cid go see the doctor," explained Shera.  
  
"Hmph - I'd like to see the effort it took to get Cid to see a doctor," said Barret.  
  
"She can be pretty forceful, let me tell ya," said Cid.  
  
"Isn't there anything that can be done?" asked Cloud.  
  
"If there was don't you think we'd have fucking done it? Think before you speak Cloud!" barked Cid. He swept his feet from the table, sat back in his chair and drank his tea. The others took a few moments to think about what they'd been told, to let it sink in and to try and accept it. Cid was rather touched by it, but he didn't let on.  
  
"How long you got?" asked Barret finally. Cid shrugged.  
  
"Few days. A week tops," he replied. "Look guys, I appreciate you all comin'. But don't go worryin' on my account. Ol' Cid here's prepared for it. Always have been. Death comes to us all. We can fight a lot of things in this world, but we can't fight that simple fact. There's no point in worrying about what's gotta happen. So I figure I'm gonna just enjoy what time I have left and not worry about things. So what I'm trying to say is: DON'T LOOK SO DAMN DEPRESSED! You think I wanna spend my last days lookin' at a bunch of miserable faces!? Hell no. So try and cheer up!"  
  
Most of them forced smiles and drank their tea quietly.  
On the outskirts of Rocket Town, a small, fat, balding man was standing in the shadows, away from any undesired attention. The years since the fall of Shinra had been hard on Palmer. True, he had never been one of their 'major' players, but he had been well paid and well kept. Since then his life had fallen into ruin. He had been unable to find employment, unable to find any allies and unable to piece his life back together. There was no solution to these problems that he could think of. Yet he no longer cared. The only thing left for him now was revenge. That had been what had kept him going since the demise of Shinra Inc. Everything from Shinra had been destroyed - well, with the odd exception. He had managed to survive for one thing. And before the near-complete destruction of Midgar and the Shinra Building, he had managed to find - and salvage - one of it's best kept secrets. A weapon - one of great power, one which could truly express the bitterness and hatred which had consumed Palmer in the last several years.  
  
The trouble with it was that it had not been completed. When the Neo-Midgar project had been announced, the weapon project had been abandoned (along with, thought Palmer bitterly, the space program). Palmer had managed to remove the weapon before the destruction of Midgar, but he had not the knowledge or ability to complete it by himself. It had been difficult. Many times he had felt like he would never succeed. But when hatred burns deep enough within a man, many things are possible. He had found scientists, ones with enough knowledge to complete the project. They were many leagues away from the genius of the late Hojo, yet as the years passed they became dedicated to the completion of the project.  
  
There were three main reasons for this. One, they had a great devotion to their field - a weapon like this was a very ambitious and exciting new project. Two, Palmer forced them to work hard on it. Palmer was largely thought of as a joke when he worked for Shinra. Sure, he was a useful tool for Shinra when they were interested in the space program, but he was weak, non-threatening and at times incompetent. But tough times could create tough people, and Palmer was a man possessed by the weapon and he drove his workers hard.  
  
The third reason was the strangest of all. Some of the workers actually grew very fond of the weapon. They felt that it was calling out to them, asking for their help in it's completion. Some even fell in love with it.  
  
"It's almost time. Are you ready?" asked Palmer, even though there was apparently no-one else around. After he spoke however a shadow seemingly came to life, and a figure - who had previously disappeared perfectly into this shadow, stepped out. She was a young woman, seemingly in her twenties, dressed all in black cloth which covered almost every part of her including most of her face.  
  
"Yes," responded the weapon. 


	2. Look to the Sky

Cid liked to be alone at night. Shera, against her own wishes, would leave him be as he sat on his own outside. He would sit in an old rocking chair, staring up at the stars in the sky, looking to all extent and purposes a contented man.  
  
"Too bad I can never get back up there..." he said under his breath. The Highwind was no longer in any condition to fly. The years had taken their toll on his child, and although he had once been dedicated to restoring it, the job had never been completed. Cid and Shera just didn't have the money to fund the repairs. Tiny Bronco had been well beyond repair after the escape from the Shinra way back. There was never going to be another rocket. They'd have to change the name of the place to just 'Town'.  
  
He thought often of Aeris when he sat out here. He and her had never been close, which made it seem unusual to him. She had often talked about 'returning to the planet' or some such stuff. Cid hadn't really been interested at the time, but it was all too relevant now. Was that his future? To become part of what he had once played a role in saving?  
  
Pah, he'd rather become part of the sky, part of the stars. Instead he'd be grounded for ever. Still, what are ya gonna do about? Spend your last days in this fucking chair depressed? Not Cid! Not his fucking style, no way.  
  
He smiled and took a drag from his cigarette.  
  
***  
Cloud, Vincent, Barret, Tifa and Yuffie had decided to stay at the inn. Shera had offered to make room for them somehow, but they didn't want to be in the way (apart from Barret who had argued with Cloud for a good ten minutes.)  
  
"So is everyone okay?" asked Cloud. Barret swore aloud. He wasn't sure what he hated more - the old emotionless, arrogant, closed-book Cloud or the new 'let's discuss our feelings guys!' Cloud.  
  
"I'm going to the bar," he said and quickly left.  
  
"I'm going out for some fresh air," claimed Vincent.  
  
"Fresh? In Rocket Town?" said Cloud disbelievingly. Too late though - Vincent had already gone.  
  
"Hey Vincent, wait for me will ya? I said WAIT!" yelled Yuffie before running after the enigma. Cloud shrugged.  
  
"Did I say something wrong?" he asked. Tifa giggled despite herself.  
  
"You sure have changed these past few years Cloud, " she said with a glint in her eyes. Despite her sadness she couldn't help but feel... okay while Cloud was around. "I'm glad you're with me tonight."  
  
"Sure," said Cloud. Perhaps you haven't changed THAT much, thought Tifa. We still can't be as close as I want us to be... you think we can't get any closer... maybe you're right.  
  
"I'm glad Cid has Shera," she said, trying to swim for something resembling a shore.  
  
"Yeah," agreed Cloud. Tifa looked at her knees. Cloud still wasn't the world's greatest conversationalist. He seemed eager to know how everyone else was these days, yet still couldn't reveal his own feelings.  
  
"So I guess we'll be in Rocket Town for quite some time then?" she asked. Cloud sat down next to her on the bed now. Tifa wanted him to put his arm around her but didn't dare ask him to.  
  
"Not really. Cid... doesn't have much time left."  
  
"We can't just lave after... after... " she failed to say 'he dies'. "right after! Shera's going to need us to look after her and support her through it."  
  
"I hadn't thought of that."  
  
Tifa sighed. Cloud most certainly did care for his friends, but for all his good intentions he had little practise at seeing people's feelings. She lay back on the bed and even Cloud's presence couldn't stop her worry about Cid and Shera now.  
  
***  
  
Cid closed the back door behind him and walked in quietly, for once trying not to disturb Shera. He had tried not to shout at her quite as much as of late. The old gal had taken the 'news' badly, much worse than he had. Cid certainly didn't like the fact that he was dying, but he'd deal with it. You wouldn't catch him crying about it.  
  
He was not altogether surprised to see her curled up on the couch, a framed photo in one hand and a tissue being used to wipe her tears in the other. She screwed up her eyes and sobbed quietly, unaware of The Captain's presence.  
  
Shera... for fuck's sake, why you gotta do this to me? Your makin' me feel fucking guilty about dying. If I could stop it I would. But this ain't some fucking meteor. This is something inside of me, and there ain't no way I can get it out.  
  
At least the others had seemed to be able to accept it. They hadn't gone of on some quest (at least not to his knowledge) to find some shit from some shit-hole that would miraculously cure him. Cid had already been a part of too many damn miracles. He'd gone into space despite all the odds. He'd saved the planet and he reckoned that counted as a miracle too. But miracles are limited, and Cid knew in his heart (the part of him that was being devoured as he stood here) that this was it. He'd had his run, he'd had his life. There were always dreams that would never be fulfilled, but even so, Cid was content. Hell, he'd seen this whole fucking planet from space, seen how tiny it was, and so he himself... well he wasn't big at all.  
  
Quietly he moved over to Shera and sat down next to her. Cid was not the best in the world at making people feel better, but even so he felt he should try. He put his hand around Shera's shoulders and held her head to his chest.  
***  
  
Barret had just ordered himself a drink when Yuffie stormed into the bar.  
  
"That damn Vincent! He just disappeared!" she huffed as she sat down next to Barret at the bar.  
  
"The hell you shoutin' at me for? You know Vincent, he probably just wants ta be alone, " said Barret angrily.  
  
"Whatever. So when are you planning on buying me a dr- hey, who's that guy? He looks like he knows you."  
  
Barret turned to look in the same direction as Yuffie. Sitting at a nearby table was Palmer, a face Barret remembered. The old man was staring at Barret conspicuously. He would never forget ANYONE involved with Shinra, that was for sure. If he and Cid hadn't met in the circumstances they had, Barret probably would have torn the pilot's head off.  
  
"That bastard. He was part of Shinra, something to do with their space program. We met him before your time," said Barret. Barret took his beer in his one good hand and walked over to the table. "The fuck you staring at old man?"  
  
Barret noticed a moment of darkness about Palmer's eyes that he hadn't noticed before. It soon vanished though and was replaced by fear. Palmer had stored his 'weapon' in his room - and he knew too well that he wasn't going to be able to take on Barret by himself. His eyes met the gun grafted on to the large man's hand and a lump formed in his throat.  
  
"What the hell you doin' in Rocket Town? Your fat ass ain't welcome here," said Barret.  
  
"I-I'm just passing through. I don't intend on causing any trouble. I mean, it's not as though I work for Shinra anymore," stammered Palmer.  
  
After the day he'd had, Barret was in the mood for a fight and in truth he just didn't care that Palmer wasn't going to be able to give him one. He placed his beer down on the table and with speed greater than his size would suggest, Barret knocked Palmer off his chair with a punch to the side of the face. The fat man rolled about on the floor as Barret kicked away at him. Yuffie just sat and watched, making no attempt to save the fat man. She had no intention of getting in the way of an angry Barret. Soon enough Barret decided to end it, and just walked back to his room. The inn manager had seen it all - but decided, after considering the gun on his arm, to not interfere in such a 'petty' squabble.  
Once Yuffie and Barret had left, Palmer took himself back to his room, rage rising within him and threatening to erupt. That violent thug would pay for that. He felt there should be... a test run of his new weapon before he turned it loose on this town. Barret would do just fine. He would pay. They all would. They would see that he was no joke. Oh yes - they would soon see. Tomorrow, he decided, it would begin. 


End file.
